PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Brooks Koepka doesn’t aspire to simply make the weekends. Ben Silverman was merely hoping to play, period.

They’ll return to PGA National on Saturday, after bouncing back in the second round of the Cognizant Classic.

Koepka shot a 5-under 66 on Friday, trimming eight shots from his opening round score, and Silverman shaved six shots from his opening round with a 3-under 67. That got them well within the cut line, and both are at 2 under headed into the weekend — nine shots behind leader Austin Smotherman (69).

“If I’m out here to try to make cuts, I’m probably done,” said Koepka, the five-time major championship winner who is a native of Palm Beach County and has a bit of a home-field edge this week. He has now made two of three cuts since returning to the PGA Tour earlier this year following a stint of nearly four years with Saudi-backed LIV.

Koepka only hit six of 14 fairways on Friday but putted the ball far better and made six birdies — four more than he had in Round 1.

“I hit it a lot worse today,” Koepka said. “Didn’t drive it nearly as good. Iron play wasn’t as good, but the putter was better. Made a few adjustments after the round yesterday.”

Smotherman stayed red-hot, with a 55-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th among the highlights as he took a three-shot lead into the weekend. Taylor Moore is second, solo at 8 under after his second consecutive 67. A.J Ewart (64, the round of the day) is at 7 under, tied for third with Nico Echavarria (72).

Ewart played his college golf at Barry University in Miami Shores, maybe a 90-minute drive or so from Palm Beach Gardens. He’s been to the Cognizant before as a fan and remembers following Koepka around in the past — though confessed some of the memories are hazy. “Couple too many drinks sitting in the Bear Trap,” he said, referring the stretch of holes 15 through 17 at PGA National.

“Coming into the week, I had never actually played the golf course, but I felt like I knew it just from watching it,” Ewart said. “Somewhat of a home game, yeah. It feels good.”

Lee moves up

SINGAPORE — Three-time major winner Minjee Lee improved on her first-round score by eight strokes Friday for an 8-under 64 to move into a tie for second place at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.

The No. 4-ranked Lee, one of nine top-10 players in the LPGA Singapore field this week, had an eagle and six birdies and tied for the round of the day on the Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong course.

Lee was one stroke behind first-round leader Auston Kim, whose 69 left the American with a leading two-round total of 9-under 135.

Lee was tied with Ariya Jutanugarn (67) and Haeran Ryu (68).